Ahmadi-Soleimani S Mohammad, Masoudi Maha, Tabrizi Amir Mohammad Ali, Beheshti Farimah, Azizi Omid
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran.
Neuroscience Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran.
Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2025 Aug 6. doi: 10.1007/s12602-025-10674-4.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a highly prevalent gastrointestinal infection associated with peptic ulcers, gastritis, and psychological disorders like anxiety and depression. This study explored whether probiotic supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) and/or Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) could mitigate anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in H. pylori-infected rats. In addition, specific biochemical mechanisms underlying H. pylori and probiotic effects were investigated. Rats were infected with H. pylori and treated with L. rhamnosus, L. plantarum, or both probiotics via oral gavage. Anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were assessed using open field, elevated plus maze, forced swimming, and marble burying tests. Oxidative stress markers, inflammatory cytokines, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), serotonergic function, and corticosterone level were quantified in cortical tissues. Both L. rhamnosus and L. plantarum, particularly when co-administered, potently reversed the anxiogenic and depressogenic effects of H. pylori infection. These behavioral rescues were paralleled by normalization of dysregulated cortical oxidative and inflammatory parameters including suppressed anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and reduced antioxidant defenses. Similarly, H. pylori-induced attenuation of neurotrophic capacity and serotonin availability alongside heightened corticosterone level were all opposed by L. rhamnosus and L. plantarum supplementation. Our integrative methodology provided pivotal evidence that multispecies probiotic intervention with L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus alleviates anxiety/depressive-like symptoms in a preclinical model of gastrointestinal inflammation. We propose that adjunctive probiotic therapy could promote the behavioral resilience by optimizing the redox regulation, suppression of inflammatory response, enhancement of neurotrophic support, and maintenance of serotonergic transmission in brain cortex. These data signify probiotic supplementation warrants further evaluation in infected patients with psychiatric comorbidities.
幽门螺杆菌（H. pylori）是一种高度流行的胃肠道感染，与消化性溃疡、胃炎以及焦虑和抑郁等心理障碍有关。本研究探讨了补充鼠李糖乳杆菌（L. rhamnosus）和/或植物乳杆菌（L. plantarum）益生菌是否可以减轻幽门螺杆菌感染大鼠的焦虑样和抑郁样行为。此外，还研究了幽门螺杆菌和益生菌作用的具体生化机制。大鼠感染幽门螺杆菌后，通过口服灌胃给予鼠李糖乳杆菌、植物乳杆菌或两种益生菌进行治疗。使用旷场试验、高架十字迷宫试验、强迫游泳试验和埋大理石试验评估焦虑样和抑郁样行为。对皮质组织中的氧化应激标志物、炎性细胞因子、脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）、血清素能功能和皮质酮水平进行定量分析。鼠李糖乳杆菌和植物乳杆菌，特别是联合使用时，能有效逆转幽门螺杆菌感染的致焦虑和致抑郁作用。这些行为改善与失调的皮质氧化和炎症参数的正常化同时出现，包括抗炎细胞因子IL-10的抑制和抗氧化防御的降低。同样，幽门螺杆菌引起的神经营养能力减弱、血清素可用性降低以及皮质酮水平升高，均被鼠李糖乳杆菌和植物乳杆菌补充所对抗。我们的综合方法提供了关键证据，即植物乳杆菌和鼠李糖乳杆菌的多物种益生菌干预可减轻胃肠道炎症临床前模型中的焦虑/抑郁样症状。我们提出，辅助性益生菌治疗可通过优化氧化还原调节、抑制炎症反应、增强神经营养支持以及维持大脑皮质中的血清素能传递来促进行为恢复力。这些数据表明，益生菌补充剂值得在患有精神疾病合并症的感染患者中进一步评估。
